Vitrification methods involve the heating of waste material to be treated and a starter path which may comprise one or more conductive materials (e.g. glass frit, graphite flake, silica, cullet) in a vitrification chamber. The heating is effected by supplying current to the vitrification container with the use of axially inserted electrodes for the purpose of increasing the temperature of a starter path to the point where the adjacent material to be treated begins to melt. Once the heating is initiated and melting of the material begins, the molten material itself becomes conductive and can continue current conduction and heating. Application of power to the electrodes can continue until the material contained in the vitrification chamber is completely melted. Electrodes are typically consumed by the melt in the vitrification container.
Gases may escape from the vitrification container between the electrode and the lid and/or if the vitrification container is operated at negative pressure cold air may be drawn in. Inability to maintain the atmosphere within the vitrification container leads to loss of heat, a reduction in efficiency, and a potential loss of containment of gases in the hood. The outer surface of the electrodes may be subject to erosion through oxidation caused by hot gases within the vitrification container and heating of the electrodes which can reduce the current carrying capacity of the electrodes. It is desirable to avoid leakage of gases from the vitrification container as they can be harmful to the environment, workers, and equipment.
There is a need for electrode seal assemblies which are capable of at least one of effecting seals under conditions of both positive and negative pressures in the vitrification container, maintaining the environment in the vitrification container, allowing for axial movement of the electrodes, and preventing gases from being released. In some embodiments of electrode seal assemblies disclosed herein a seal is effected using gas pressure resulting in pressure gradients greater than the pressure in the vitrification container.
So as to reduce the complexity and length of the Detailed Specification, Applicant(s) herein expressly incorporate(s) by reference all of the following materials identified in each paragraph below. The incorporated materials are not necessarily “prior art” and Applicant(s) expressly reserve(s) the right to swear behind any of the incorporated materials.
Advanced Tritium System and Advanced Permeation System for Separation of Tritium from Radioactive Wastes and Reactor Water in Light Water Systems, Ser. No. 62/239,660 filed Oct. 9, 2015, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
GeoMelt Electrode Seal, Ser. No. 62/272,604 filed Dec. 29, 2015, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Ion Specific Media Removal from Vessel for Vitrification, Ser. No. 15/012,101 filed Feb. 1, 2016, with a priority date of Feb. 1, 2015, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Mobile Processing System for Hazardous and Radioactive Isotope Removal, Ser. No. 14/748,535 filed Jun. 24, 2015, with a priority date of Jun. 24, 2014, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Balanced Closed Loop Continuous Extraction Process for Hydrogen Isotopes, Ser. No. 14/294,033, filed Jun. 2, 2014, with a priority date of May 31, 2013, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Methods for Melting of Materials to be Treated, U.S. Pat. No. 7,211,038 filed Mar. 25, 2001, with a priority date of Sep. 25, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Methods for Melting of Materials to be Treated, U.S. Pat. No. 7,429,239 filed Apr. 27, 2007, with a priority date of Sep. 25, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
In-Situ Vitrification of Waste Materials, U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,237 filed Jun. 24, 1996, with a priority date of Jun. 24, 1996, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Vitrification of Waste with Continuous Filling and Sequential Melting, U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,908 filed May 4, 2000, with a priority date of May 4, 2000, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
AVS Melting Process, U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,308 filed Apr. 25, 2002, with a priority date of May 7, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Advanced Vitrification System 2, U.S. Pat. No. 6,941,878 filed Sep. 26, 2003, with a priority date of Sep. 27, 2002, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Applicant(s) believe(s) that the material incorporated above is “non-essential” in accordance with 37 CFR 1.57, because it is referred to for purposes of indicating the background or illustrating the state of the art. However, if the Examiner believes that any of the above-incorporated material constitutes “essential material” within the meaning of 37 CFR 1.57(c)(1)-(3), applicant(s) will amend the specification to expressly recite the essential material that is incorporated by reference as allowed by the applicable rules.
Aspects and applications presented here are described below in the drawings and detailed description. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and the claims be given their plain, ordinary, and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. The inventors are fully aware that they can be their own lexicographers if desired. The inventors expressly elect, as their own lexicographers, to use only the plain and ordinary meaning of terms in the specification and claims unless they clearly state otherwise and then further, expressly set forth the “special” definition of that term and explain how it differs from the plain and ordinary meaning. Absent such clear statements of intent to apply a “special” definition, it is the inventors' intent and desire that the simple, plain and ordinary meaning to the terms be applied to the interpretation of the specification and claims.
The inventors are also aware of the normal precepts of English grammar. Thus, if a noun, term, or phrase is intended to be further characterized, specified, or narrowed in some way, then such noun, term, or phrase will expressly include additional adjectives, descriptive terms, or other modifiers in accordance with the normal precepts of English grammar. Absent the use of such adjectives, descriptive terms, or modifiers, it is the intent that such nouns, terms, or phrases be given their plain, and ordinary English meaning to those skilled in the applicable arts as set forth above.
Further, the inventors are fully informed of the standards and application of the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6. Thus, the use of the words “function,” “means” or “step” in the Detailed Description or Description of the Drawings or claims is not intended to somehow indicate a desire to invoke the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6, to define the systems, methods, processes, and/or apparatuses disclosed herein. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6 are sought to be invoked to define the embodiments, the claims will specifically and expressly state the exact phrases “means for” or “step for, and will also recite the word “function” (i.e., will state “means for performing the function of . . . ”), without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material or act in support of the function. Thus, even when the claims recite a “means for performing the function of . . . ” or “step for performing the function of . . . ”, if the claims also recite any structure, material or acts in support of that means or step, or that perform the recited function, then it is the clear intention of the inventors not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6. Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6 are invoked to define the claimed embodiments, it is intended that the embodiments not be limited only to the specific structure, material or acts that are described in the preferred embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, materials or acts that perform the claimed function as described in alternative embodiments or forms, or that are well known present or later-developed, equivalent structures, material or acts for performing the claimed function.
Elements and acts in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence or embodiment.